10 Reasons Why Bordeaux is the Best Day-Trip from Paris
In this video we take our daughter Lizzy, visiting from the US, to Bordeaux and share 10 reasons why it makes a great day trip from Paris. If you want a break from the Paris crowds, with history, wine and some of the best food in France, Bordeaux is just two hours away by train.
Our 10 reasons
- It is close. About two hours by TGV from Paris Montparnasse. Booked in advance, second-class tickets can be as low as €20 each way, or €50 in first class, when we filmed. Ouigo is the low-cost option with no café car; inOui has one.
- La Cité du Vin, a huge, interactive wine museum that ends with a glass and a view.
- Classic regional food in a traditional brasserie: beef croquettes, foie gras, duck confit and veal.
- Marché des Capucins, a market full of local seafood, meat, foie gras and duck confit, with oysters to eat on site.
- The Miroir d’Eau, a vast granite surface covered with 2 cm of water that mists every 15 minutes. Perfect on a hot day.
- Châteaux and vineyards just outside the city, where we toured the barrels and did a wine and chocolate pairing.
- Canelés, the local pastry, crispy outside and soft inside with a hint of rum. Ask for the darker ones if you like them crispy.
- Rue Sainte-Catherine, about 1.2 km of shops on one of the longest pedestrian streets in Europe.
- The waterfront, with bike paths, benches and gardens growing vegetables along the river.
- Duck everything. This is duck country, so try magret and confit at a restaurant dedicated to duck.
Tips for your day
Book your train tickets early for the best prices, then use the local tram or a taxi to reach your first stop. Even in summer, Bordeaux felt far less crowded than Paris, but it can get very hot, so plan the Miroir d’Eau for the warmest part of the day.
Want a local guide? Try this Bordeaux food tour, or book wine tastings in the vineyards. For more ideas beyond Bordeaux, see our recommended day trips from Paris.